SCP
Principal Engineer (Drainage)
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The Vacancy
Are you an experienced civil engineer with deep expertise in drainage, highways, and infrastructure design? Do you want to lead technically challenging projects, shape strategy, and drive excellence in sustainable infrastructure across the UK? If so, this is an outstanding opportunity to join our Infrastructure team as Principal Engineer and Drainage Specialist.
In this leadership role, you will take strategic and technical ownership of drainage capabilities across the region, strengthen key client relationships, and play a pivotal part in growing and developing our technical offering.
Principal (Drainage) – Chelmsford
- Salary: £50,000 – £60,000+
- Employer Pension Contribution: 8%
- Hours: 35-hour working week
- Location: Chelmsford (Hybrid Working Available)
Why Join Us?
- High-Profile, Sustainable Projects – Lead innovative drainage, highways, and transport schemes that enhance connectivity and build resilient, future-ready infrastructure.
- Technical Leadership – Set design standards, lead technical governance, and provide expert direction across multi-disciplinary design teams.
- Senior Career Pathway – A key leadership position with opportunities to influence business growth, strategy, and team development.
- Collaborative Culture – Join a people-focused, supportive team that values technical excellence, professional integrity, and work–life balance.
- Comprehensive Package – Competitive salary, hybrid working, strong pension offering, professional memberships, and flexible working arrangements.
The Role
As Principal Engineer (Drainage Technical Lead), you will oversee and deliver high-profile infrastructure projects across the region, from early feasibility through to detailed design and construction. You will combine technical leadership with advanced technical capability in drainage design, while supporting operational performance and client engagement.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and oversee the design, procurement, and delivery of complex drainage infrastructure projects.
- Provide technical leadership on drainage and flood risk across multi-disciplinary teams.
- Build, maintain, and enhance relationships with local authorities, developers, and key clients.
- Mentor, manage, and support engineers at all levels, driving technical excellence and professional growth.
- Lead on bid preparation, fee proposals, resource planning, and business development.
- Ensure designs meet CDM 2015, DMRB, local authority, and national standards.
- Oversee project budgets, risk management, performance, and resourcing.
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What We’re Looking For
Essential:
- Chartered Engineer (CEng) or near-chartered (ICE/CIHT).
- BEng/BSc or MEng in Civil Engineering.
- 10+ years’ experience in drainage/infrastructure design, including several years in a senior/lead technical position.
- Strong technical expertise in drainage (SuDS, flood risk, surface water management, and below-ground drainage systems).
- Proven track record delivering civil infrastructure projects end-to-end.
- Strong client-facing, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Experience mentoring and developing engineers.
Desirable:
- Experience with MicroDrainage (InfoDrainage), Flow, Civil 3D, and hydraulic modelling software.
- Familiarity with NEC/JCT contracts and commercial project management.
- Experience working with local authorities or UK regional frameworks.
- Experience supporting business development and writing proposals.
Work Environment & Expectations
- Location: Chelmsford (or London), with 2–3 days p/w expected in the office.
- Travel: Occasional travel to regional client meetings and project sites.
- Flexible Working: We support hybrid and flexible working to promote strong work–life balance.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your career and lead the delivery of sustainable, high-impact drainage projects across the UK, we’d love to hear from you.
About Us
In January 2022, we joined the RSK group: a merger that mirrors each company’s commitment to an engaging and open company culture. We highly value our people’s input, building strong and mutually beneficial relationships with our clients, and the desire to grow a strong and sustainable business. SCP will continue to serve its clients without any fundamental changes except by expanding our geographical capabilities and our team.
SCP is a specialist transportation planning, highway, and drainage infrastructure design consultancy that has been offering multi-disciplinary professional services to the private and public sectors since 1991. We have offices located strategically around the UK, including offices in Manchester, Leeds, and London. Our service grouping includes advising and supporting at the master-planning stages of development proposals, conducting detailed assessments for approvals processes and the implementation stages. The business also has long-established expert witness relationships with planning barristers across the UK.
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SCP is part of the RSK Group, a leading integrated environmental, engineering, and technical services business providing dynamic, multidisciplinary services to a wide range of sectors. RSK was founded in 1989 and has grown considerably since then.
At RSK, we operate as a group of businesses that work together seamlessly, aiming for growth through diversification. Our strategy helps us build a strong and resilient business, capable of weathering external challenges, while also providing greater value to our clients and more opportunities for our employees.
Since the beginning, our philosophy has remained the same: employ, develop and reward talented individuals. People are crucial to our company, and we recognise that our success hinges on our colleagues' growth. We're committed to preserving RSK's people-first culture, promoting innovation, and fostering a supportive and caring environment for collaboration. At RSK, we want you to be part of our successes and help you reach your career aspirations. We take pride in offering employees fulfilling and challenging careers by promoting ongoing growth and empowering individuals to excel.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that welcomes individuals from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We firmly believe that embracing and celebrating the diversity in our workforce makes us a stronger and more innovative company.
By providing workplace adjustments, we make it easier for people to confidently explore and pursue our career opportunities and recognise that flexibility is key to fostering a dynamic and thriving workplace. Many of our office-based positions benefit from a flexible working arrangement, allowing our team members to achieve a balance between professional and personal commitments.
We actively encourage applications from candidates of all genders, races, ethnicities, ages, neurotypes, religions or beliefs, sexual orientations, and those with disabilities.
If you're passionate about making a difference, join us as we work together to build a brighter, more equitable, and sustainable future for all. Do you have what it takes?
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